This invention relates to photographic printers and particularly to printing apparatuses for use with exposing photosensitive material in contact with copy.
A printer of this type is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,554,644 of Maksymilian Michalski, assigned to the same assignee as the present invention. While such a printer has in the past been valuable, it has a number of disadvantages.
An object of the present invention is to overcome such disadvantages.
Various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims forming a part of this specification. The invention furnishes a printer which is simple and effortless to operate. No tilting or flipping is required. It need merely be opened, loaded, closed, and exposed. One hand is all that is needed to operate the locking handle. Maximum accessibility is available for easy quick loading and accurate registration.
The light source is sensitivity matched. According to a feature of the invention the light source is positioned overhead at the optimum distance from the vacuum frame. This allows plates to be exposed with high resolution and even center to center dot production. It minimizes cleaning of reflectors and need for expensive exhaust systems.
According to the invention the vacuum printer is a completely self-contained table top device. It is suited for applications where space is restricted, but maximum production of plates and proofs are essential.
According to an aspect of the invention, the controls are at eye level. A two-position rocker switch offers the operator the advantage of selecting either high or low light levels to match the speed of materials being used. A mode control switch selects either automatic or manual modes of operation.
According to another feature of the invention a window allowing an operator to inspect the operation rides up with a frame and rests horizontally above the work. The window forms a shield protecting the operator from ultraviolet light but permits inspection viewing with storage features. The window is also completely removable. The shuttered light source permits full and reduced light output operation. The exposure unit is combined with a light source and vacuum frame controls. The frame arrangement permits latching, control of the vacuum switch and counterbalanced operation. A new cooling arrangement for the light and the overall unit exists.